Alan Dean (pictured as a boy) said he was targeted in 1962 in Clayton, Greater Manchester - close to the Hattersley estate where Brady lived with partner Myra Hindley

A retired TV engineer has said he could have been Ian Brady's first victim after being targeted as a seven-year-old while walking home from a sweet shop.

Alan Dean, who is now 62, said he was targeted in 1962 in Clayton, Greater Manchester - close to the Hattersley estate where Brady lived with partner Myra Hindley.

The twisted couple met in 1961 and murdered their first victim, Pauline Reade, 16, in 1963.

Following the death of the Moors murderer last Monday, Mr Dean has been reminded of his lucky escape.

In an interview with the Sunday People, he said: 'I was walking home from the shop, tightrope-walking down the kerbstone. It was a quiet road and back then there was hardly any traffic. They must have deliberately hit me.

'I remember getting knocked flying. I didn't see who was driving but when I was on the floor this tall, creepy man was stood over me. I was aware something was wrong.

'This man was stood over me rubbing my thigh. It was weird, he wasn't saying anything. I pushed him away and ran home to my mum.'

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Years later Mr Dean spotted a picture of the serial killer and immediately recognised Brady from the encounter in Clayton.

He said: 'I knew it was him straight away. It was the same guy.'

'There's no way him and Hindley didn't practice and plan what they did. They didn't just kidnap someone first time. They would have had trial runs, working out what they needed to do', he added.

'They tried to get me a year before they got Pauline. How many other attempts on other kids did they try?'

Mr Dean, who is now 62, has revealed his lucky escape after Ian Brady knocked him off the pavement and molested him

Brady died of heart disease aged 79 at a secure hospital on Monday. Hindley died in prison in 2002.

The infamous serial killer and Hindley were jailed for life for the killings of John Kilbride, 12, 10-year-old Lesley Ann Downey and Edward Evans, 17.

They went on to admit the murders of Pauline Reade, 16, and 12-year-old Keith Bennett.

Keith's body has never been found after Brady failed to inform police of its location during his 51 years behind bars.

Police attempted to convince Brady to reveal the mystery location of the grave in his final hours - but he refused to tell them.

Ian Brady, pictured left, refused to co-operate with police as they tried to work out where he had buried 12-year-old Keith Bennett, pictured right

Mr Dean said he felt for the family of Keith, whose mother Winnie Johnson died in 2012 after fighting tirelessly for decades to find her son and provide a Christian burial.

He told the Sunday People: 'I repaired Winnie's TV once when she lived on Princess Road. There was also the resemblance ­between me and Keith when I was younger. We both had the NHS glasses. He never did say where that poor lad is.

'He would have known the rough area, you don't do something that bad and not know where you were. Unfortunately, Winnie never found peace ­because of him. I hope she's at peace now up there while he's burning somewhere else.'

Brady, and his co-accused Myra Hindley (pictured together) murdered five children in the 1960s and the bodies of four of his victims have been found. The couple became infatuated with Nazis and sadism after getting together at a chemical firm

Another man, Tommy Rhattigan, now 61, revealed how he fled through a window aged seven after he was lured to Hindley's grandmother's house in Manchester with bread and jam in 1963.

He had been one of 12 siblings growing up in desperate poverty in Hulme, Manchester, when he was taken to the house.

Asked if he believed there were just five victims he said: 'No, 100 per cent I don't. I truly believe that. There's more than one that got away.'

On learning of Brady's death, he told ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'I was actually stunned. I had a lot - a lot - of mixed emotions, a heavy heart, and the reason why I had a heavy heart is because his time's up, he's gone, but the families of the victims are still here.'

In 2000, he wrote to the Moors murderer because he felt 'really sorry' for the mother of victim Keith Bennett and wanted Brady to tell her where he was buried.

The killer wrote back, telling him he and Hindley were 'quite ordinary and not dripping blood'.

Crimes that shocked Britain: How Brady's five victims were snatched before being brutally murdered

Pauline Reade, 16, was the couple's first victim. She was on her way to a local dance when Hindley persuaded her to get in her car. They drove Pauline to Saddleworth Moor where she was raped, beaten and stabbed.

John Kilbride, 12, was snatched from Ashton market on Saturday November 23, 1963. He was strangled and buried in a shallow grave. He was the second of Brady and Hindley's five victims.

Keith Bennett, 12, disappeared on the way to his grandmother's house. Hindley had lured him into her car and driven him to the Moors where he was murdered. The method of killing has never been made clear. The pair buried his body which has never been found.

Lesley Ann Downey, 10, disappeared on Boxing Day. She had been snatched from the fair and taken back to Hindley's house. She was brutally assaulted with the ordeal captured on tape.

Edward Evans, 17, was the sick duo's final victim. He had just been to see Manchester United play when Brady lured in Edward. Brady repeatedly bludgeoned Evans with an axe.

John Kilbride, 12, (left) and 16-year-old Pauline Reade (right) were killed by the pair and their bodies were later located on Saddleworth Moor

Lesley Ann Downey (left) was killed when she was just ten, while Edward Evans (right) was 17 when he was murdered by the pair

The method of the killing of Keith Bennett, 12, has never been made clear. The pair buried his body which has never been found